Feed device for gas-producers.



No. 652,603. Patented June 26, 19Ul0.

' v V. E. EDWARDS.

FEED DEVICE FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet l.

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'No. 652,603. Patented June 26, I900. V. E. EDWARDS.

FEED DEVICE FOR GAS PRODUCERS.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1899.)

2 Sheats$heet 2.

(No Model.)

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VICTOR E. EDlVARDS, OF TVORCE STE R, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-PRODUCERS.

sPEcirrcArIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,603, dated June 26, 1900.

Application filed April 27, 1899.

To a, w/mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR E. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and ducer and kept therein at a constant level or' uniform height. By keeping the whole sur face constantly supplied with fresh fuel and by maintaining a constant level in the producer uniform combustion will take place and the fuel will be very economically used.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which shall accomplish this automatic feeding and at the same time be gastight.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this application, Ihave illustrated therein the best form now known to me for practicing my invention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the top of a gas-producer with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a detail of the drivinggearing. Fig.- 3 is a plan View of the top of the producer. Fig. 4 is asectional view taken on the line A A of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line B B of Fig. 1 Fig. 6 is a detail of the ratchet mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a diagram which I will hereinafter refer to in describing the operation.

My invention consists in providing the gas producer with a rotary chute arranged to deliver the material through an outlet extending substantially from the center to the edge of the body of the producer. A coal-reservoir is arranged above theproducer, and the coal-chute isarr'anged between the mouth of the reservoir and the body. Mechanism is provided so that the coal will be fed from the reservoir down through the chute out through said outlet and is so arranged that the amount Serial No. 714,649. (No model.)

of coal fed therethrough will increase from the center to the edge in direct proportion with the increase of radius. This arrangemerit by reason of the rotary motion of the chute will provide for a level spreading of the coal in the producer, because bythis arrangement the amount of coal passingout through any section of the opening will be directly proportioned to the circle over which it has to be spread. I preferably provide the chute with a mechanical stoker to govern the supply of coal. This stoker may be of any de' sired construction, there being many forms now known which may be used in practicing my invention and which are equivalents of the one that I prefer to use. The form that I prefer to use consists of a fluted cylinder journaled near the outlet of the coal-chute. The flute or flutes on this cylinder increase in cross-sectional area from the center to the outer edge ofthe cover, so as to obtain the 'even distribution of coal. The chute is preferably arranged on the top of the producer, and said top is arranged so that it may be rotated. A water seal is preferably arranged between the body of the producer and the rotary top. Suitable gearingis provided to turn the top and the fluted cylinder as the top revolves. By this arrangementavery accurate, simple, and efficient device is provided which will automatically and evenly distribute the coal in the producer, and the device is substantially gas-tight. 1

Referring now to the drawings, Twill describe my invention in detail.

A designates a coal reservoir, and B a chute extending from the mouth of said reservoir. The chute is arranged on the mouth of the reservoir so that the same can turn 0 thereon.

C designates the rotarytop for the producer. The rotary top is provided with an opening D,which extends substantially from the center to the edge.

E designates a cylinder whichis journaled at the mouth of said chute in position to drop the coal through the openingD in the cover.

The cylinder E is provided with one or more flutes F, which increase in cross-sec- 10o tional area from the center to the edge in the proportion before described-aha!) is, the area between the rotary top and the body.

of said flutes increases directly with the in.- crease of radius. Plotting the area of any section of said flute, the rate of increase is such that the amount of coal supplied at any particular cross-section of the flute will be proportional to the circumference which said section describes, or, as such circumferences vary directly with the radii, will be directly proportional to the radius of the particular section.

In Fig. 7, if a, designates the circle described by the outer end of the cylinder and the line Z). the area of the outer edge of the flute the area of any section, as 0-, will be to the area b as r, the radius of the cover, is to cl, the distance of c from the center.

G designates the body of the producer, extending from which is the usual outlet-pipe for the gas.

A damper 11 may be arranged in the topof the chute to regulate or stop the supply of coal.

The body G is provided at its top with a flange, in which is formed an annular groove 10. Fitting into said groove is an annular flange 11, extending down from the rotary top. In practice the groove 10 is kept filled with water, whereby a water seal is formed The flange 11 is also extended above the rotary top, so that a body of water can be kept on top of the cover to keep the parts cool.

'An annular rack 12 is arranged on the body G outside of the water seal.

Suitable openings 13 are arranged in the cover and are provided With suitable caps, so that if desired the operator may insert a poker or rake' to break up the top surface of the A number of shafts, as 14, 15, and 16, are journaled in bearings secured to the top of the rotary cover 0. These shafts have intermeshing bevel-gears 17 arranged thereon, as shown. On the outer ends of said shafts are arranged gears 18, which support the cover and which mesh with said annular rack 12; The cylinder E is arranged on one of said shafts, as shaft 15.

The annular rack 12 is preferably made with an oddnumber of teeth as compared with the teeth in the gears 18, or is so made that the number of teeth in the gears 18 or any divisor thereof will not divide into the number of teeth in the annular rack. By this arrangement a great many revolutions of the cover will have to take place before the parts will come again in precisely the same relation. 1

-To rotate the cover, any suitable form of gearing may be used. The form that I have shown in the drawings consists in pivoting a lever 20 on the shaft and in providing said lever with a pawl 21, which engages a ratchet-wheel 22, secured on said shaft. Extending upwardly from said lever is a rod 23. This rod 23 is adj ustably secured to the lever 20 and may be set at different points thereof,

so as to ratchet different numbers of teeth. The top end of the rod 23 is bent over and engages a ring 24, fitted on bearing-pieces extending up from the top of the chute. This ring is provided with extending arms 25,

which connect by pitmen 26 to crank-disksv ing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

In some cases I contemplate providing the cover with a plurality of openings and appurtenances for feeding the coal therethrough;

but generally one opening, feed-chute, and

stoker are sufficient.

While I have described my device as especially designed for use in connection with gas- ;producers, it is evident that the same may be applied to other purposes-as, for example,

the distribution of coal or limestone in blastf urnacesand to any place where it is desired to distribute material evenly inside of a cylindrical body.

Having thus fully described my invention,

,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a rotary chute, an outlet from said chute extending substantially from the center to the edge of the body, and means for feeding the material through said outlet, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the kind described, thecombination of the body, a rotary chute, an-

outlet from said chute extending 'substan tially from the center to the edge of the body, a reservoir, and a stoker in said chute, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top extending from the eenter to the edge, a reservoir, a chute eX- tending therefrom to the opening in the top,

and a stoker arranged in said chute for feeding material through said opening, substan-' tially as described.

4. In a device of the kind described,the combination of the body, a rotary chute there for, an outlet from said chute extending sub 'stantially from the center to the edge of the body, and means for feeding materialthrough said outlet in a quantityincreasing' from the center to'the edge, subs-tantiallyas described. 5. In a device-of the kind described,the

combination of the body,a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top extending substantially from the center to the ed ge,-and a stoker sacos 5 arranged to feed coal through said opening in quantity increasing from the center to the edge in direct proportion with the increase of radius, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body,a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top, and a stoker arranged to feed material through said opening in quantity increasing from 'the center to the edge, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the bod y,a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top extending from the center to the edge thereof, means for feeding material through said opening, and a Water seal between the body and the rotary top, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top extending from the cen ter to the edge thereof, a stoker arranged to feed material through said opening, and connections arranged so that the stoker Will be actuated by the rotation of the top, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top extending from the center to the edge thereof, and a stoker consisting of a fluted cylinder for feeding coal through said opening, substantially as described.

10. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the bod y,a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top, and a stoker consisting of a fluted cylinder for feeding material through said opening, the flute or flutes on said cylinder increasing in area from the cen- V ter to the outer edge of the top, substantially as described. V

11. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top extending from the center to the edge thereof, a reservoir, a chute extending from the reservoir to said opening, and a fluted cylinder journaled in said chute, substantially as described.

12. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a top therefor, an opening in said top, a reservoir, a chute extending therefrom to the opening in the top, a fluted cylinder journaled in said chute, means for rotating said cover, and connections for turning said fluted cylinder as the cover rotates, substantially as described.

13. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body, a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top, a fluted cylinder for feeding material through said opening,a number of shafts journaled on said cover, said cylinder being mounted on one of said shafts, said shafts being geared together, gears on the ends of said shafts, an annular rack which said gears engage, and mechanism for turning said gears to rotate the cover and turn the cylinder, substantially as described.

14. In a device of the kind described, the combination of the body,a rotary top therefor, an opening in said top, a fluted cylinder for feeding material through said opening,a number of shafts journaled on said cover, said cylinder being mounted on one of said shafts, said shafts being geared together, gears on the ends of said shafts, an annular rack which said gears engage, and a ratchet mechanism for turning said gears to rotate the cover and turn the cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

V. E. EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, GEO. SIEURIN. 

